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Update - Search for missing swimmer scaled back

Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 12:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 6:21 p.m.

Crews trying to find a missing 21-year-old man who presumably drowned in an inlet by Holden Beach decided on Wednesday to scale back their efforts after a massive search failed to turn up any remains.

Mose Highsmith, a captain with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, said officials temporarily halted the search Wednesday afternoon due to wind and wave conditions, but planned to resume the hunt at 7 a.m. Thursday.

The missing man, identified by WWAY NewsChannel 3 as Kwesi Sample, went under while swimming in the Lockwood Folly Inlet about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, prompting police and fire agencies from around Brunswick County to converge on this East Coast tourist destination. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office joined the search Wednesday, deploying a boat equipped with side-scan sonar to locate underwater clues.

Holden Beach Police Chief Wally Layne confirmed a previously published report that Sample was part of a church group from Columbus, Ohio, visiting the island this week. The town's population swells every year as tourists flock there by the thousands to savor its nine miles of coastline.

Sample's Facebook page indicates he studied criminal justice at Ohio Dominican University and worked as a cashier at a Kroger grocery store in Columbus, where he lived.

Witnesses told authorities that Sample had been swimming in the inlet east of the island with several people Tuesday evening when he submerged and failed to resurface.

Oak Island Water Rescue, the Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Brunswick County Emergency Services responded and began plying the waters hoping for any sign of him. The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, sent up a helicopter to look from above.

The search was suspended when night fell, about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Crews resumed work at daylight Wednesday, with officials saying that the effort had changed from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.

Anthony Marzano, director of Brunswick County Emergency Services, said a smaller-scale search would take place Thursday, involving a few boats and the helicopter.

Layne, the Holden Beach police chief, said it is not common for people to swim in the inlet because of the hazards it poses.

“It's one of the most dangerous parts of the island, the inlet, just because of the currents,” he said. “Not to mention the water temperature is still in the low 60s, so you can get hypothermia fairly quickly.”

<p>Crews trying to find a missing 21-year-old man who presumably drowned in an inlet by Holden Beach decided on Wednesday to scale back their efforts after a massive search failed to turn up any remains. </p><p>Mose Highsmith, a captain with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, said officials temporarily halted the search Wednesday afternoon due to wind and wave conditions, but planned to resume the hunt at 7 a.m. Thursday. </p><p>The missing man, identified by WWAY NewsChannel 3 as Kwesi Sample, went under while swimming in the Lockwood Folly Inlet about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, prompting police and fire agencies from around Brunswick County to converge on this East Coast tourist destination. The <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9932"><b>New Hanover County Sheriff</b></a>'s Office joined the search Wednesday, deploying a boat equipped with side-scan sonar to locate underwater clues. </p><p>Holden Beach Police Chief Wally Layne confirmed a previously published report that Sample was part of a church group from Columbus, Ohio, visiting the island this week. The town's population swells every year as tourists flock there by the thousands to savor its nine miles of coastline. </p><p>Sample's <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page indicates he studied criminal justice at Ohio Dominican University and worked as a cashier at a Kroger grocery store in Columbus, where he lived. </p><p>Witnesses told authorities that Sample had been swimming in the inlet east of the island with several people Tuesday evening when he submerged and failed to resurface. </p><p>Oak Island Water Rescue, the Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Brunswick County Emergency Services responded and began plying the waters hoping for any sign of him. The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, sent up a helicopter to look from above.</p><p>The search was suspended when night fell, about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Crews resumed work at daylight Wednesday, with officials saying that the effort had changed from a rescue mission to a recovery operation. </p><p>Anthony Marzano, director of Brunswick County Emergency Services, said a smaller-scale search would take place Thursday, involving a few boats and the helicopter. </p><p>Layne, the Holden Beach police chief, said it is not common for people to swim in the inlet because of the hazards it poses. </p><p>“It's one of the most dangerous parts of the island, the inlet, just because of the currents,” he said. “Not to mention the water temperature is still in the low 60s, so you can get hypothermia fairly quickly.” </p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9904"><b>Brian Freskos</b></a>: 343-2327</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @BrianFreskos</i></p>